Following the increase in the number of specimens to be processed and in the number of measurement items, automatic analyzers analyzing specimens, such as blood and urine, consume reagents at a more rapid pace and require that reagent cassettes be replaced at shorter intervals. Meanwhile, a need exists to reduce workloads on operators as much as possible in order to reduce personnel expenses and related cost, which necessitates simplified reagent cassette replacement procedures.
The automatic analyzers are, on the other hand, becoming able to process specimens at higher speeds, so that a need exists to minimize interruptions of analysis processes without bringing the automatic analyzer to a stop.
JP-2005-37171-A (Patent Document 1), for example, discloses an arrangement that includes, in addition to a reagent disk (dispensing reagent cassette storage) disposed in an analyzing unit, a replenishing reagent cassette storage for storing replenishing reagent cassettes for use in replacement. The arrangement further includes reagent transport means for transporting a replenishing reagent cassette from the replenishing reagent cassette storage to the reagent disk (dispensing reagent cassette storage), thereby simplifying the reagent replacement procedure and minimizing interruptions during the analysis procedure.